


Possibility

by yeaka



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, F/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-24 01:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21329899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Janeway’s offered a balm.
Relationships: Kathryn Janeway/Tuvok (Star Trek)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 38





	Possibility

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Star Trek or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

The view is easily the best part of her ready room. Kathryn could stand by the wide view ports for hours, staring out into the cosmos—or at least, she could on most occasions. There are times where her body chemistry simply won’t allow for it; an alpha’s raging hormones can be difficult, destructive things, and while she needs some form of meditation to soothe them, she can never last too long. Her body claws to move, to do _something_, preferably physical, _especially_ sexual, but she’s on duty without that luxury, so all she can do is suck in a breath and march over to her desk. She sits down a little too hard—the chair groans at her abuse. Then her door chimes, and she barks, “Come in.”

The smooth metal slides aside. Her chief of security walks in at a clipped pace, his steps rigid and measured. He comes over to her desk just like he’s done a thousand times. She recognizes the look on his expressionless features. He means business, even more so than usual.

He tells her, voice strangely halting, “Captain, I believe it is time you considered certain... precautions.”

Kathryn lifts a brow, waiting for him to elaborate, but he doesn’t. She has to prod, “In light of what, Commander?”

It’s a long moment before Tuvok answers, “Your rut.” It’s stated bluntly: a matter of fact, but still something he doesn’t like to talk about. Kathryn’s perfectly aware of how distasteful Vulcans find human mating cycles, though from what little she knows, the Vulcan cycle isn’t much easier. The main difference is that humans don’t cover it up: everyone on Kathryn’s ship knows that she’s an alpha. Every omega on her crew has scheduled heat-leave, and alphas are entitled to the same for their ruts. Hers shouldn’t be coming for another several weeks. At least, that’s how her rhythm was back in the alpha quadrant.

Everything is different in the delta quadrant, and she knows there’s every possibility that _something_ has changed. Alien factors trigger premature cycles all the time. Tuvok slowly adds, “I have noticed certain... behaviours... in you... that would suggest you would benefit from more balance in your private life.”

Kathryn snorts. She can’t help it. She paraphrases, “You think I’ve gotten an attitude.”

“I believe this is normal behaviour for an alpha in stressful conditions. I am not suggesting anything otherwise.”

“But you are suggesting I... ‘couple’... with someone and get it over with.”

Tuvok doesn’t answer. But she can tell that he appreciates her delicate wording and indeed agrees. If it were anyone else, she might be offended. Her private life is hardly up for the crew’s interpretation. But Tuvok’s more than just her original first officer—he’s a _friend_. She knows that he wouldn’t have said anything if it weren’t in the best interests of the ship.

Because Tuvok’s still standing there, she dares to ask, “I don’t suppose you have anyone in mind?”

Tuvok hesitates, and that says volumes. Then he answers, “I respectfully volunteer.”

Kathryn’s lips draw into a frown. She looks up at her chief of security, a trusted, valued member of her crew and someone she values more than she could say. Their friendship is a deep one, and it’s held up for quite some time. She never suspected he intended to develop it any further. But they were never trapped on an endless journey before, with no pit stops and no chance of starting families elsewhere. 

For a long moment, Kathryn does think about it. She lets her eyes slowly sweep Tuvok’s handsome form, only because he’s made the first move, and he stands tall and firm under her heated gaze. She runs through a hundred different scenarios in her head—all the ways that it would change things, both professionally and personally. She considers Starfleet protocol—how incredibly inappropriate it would be for a captain to start anything with someone under her command.

But they’re all under her command. There’s no one else. And if she were the type to play favourites, Tuvok would probably be it. 

Finally, she murmurs, “I wouldn’t go that far,” even though she hasn’t yet fully decided. She knows it’s something she’ll be mulling over for days. In the meantime, she opens her hand. Tuvok glances down at it, then steps forward, and his hand reaches out to slip into hers. Two of his dark fingers curl around her pale palm. Her breath hitches, and for that one moment, she really does find strength in him. He steadies her, the simple contact dulling her natural aggression. Her hormones settle down. She shuts her eyes and breathes in that she’s not _alone._

Then she opens them again and releases him. She tells him, “Thank you, Tuvok,” and gets up to face her bridge.


End file.
